June 2012 Archive

30Jun
0

Kicks for a Sinner

by: Lynn Shurr

Pages: 283

Published: February 2012 by L & L Dreamspell

ISBN: 1603184406

From Goodreads: Redhead Cassie Thomas is all grown up and certain she is in love with Joe Dean Billodeaux, star quarterback for the Sinners and adoptive father to the son she gave away at birth. Joe only wants to expand his family with his wife, Nell, and deflect Cassie’s advances that threaten his marriage. So, why not set Cassie up with the Sinners new kicker and possibly the world’s nicest guy, Howard Howdy McCoy?
Cassie sees through Joe’s attempt and insults Howdy, telling him he is not a real football player and possibly even gay. Howdy knows neither is the case. Regarding Cassie to be as challenging as a sixty-yard field goal, he sets out to prove her wrong even if that involves a personal makeover and a tough new attitude. But will he be able to convince a woman who believes she can love only bad boys to give a nice guy a chance?

Wow, this book was a lot different from what I expected. I liked it though! It was interesting to read, especially because I haven’t read any of the other books in this series. This is the third book, and I could tell at certain parts that there were pieces of backstory that I was missing. But I didn’t think that kept me from enjoying the story. This novel was very well-written and I definitely felt the spirit of Louisiana throughout it. I like when a book really brings me into the setting, especially when that setting has a culture as rich as this one. I loved that this was a romance, but that it wasn’t just about Howdy and Cassie’s relationship. They fell in love in the midst of everything that was going on around them with their friends and family. I’ll admit that I’m not much of a sports person, so some of the descriptions of games were lost on me, but I still caught on to the drama of it all. I liked that this was a story about all of the characters that were obviously in previous stories, and that their storylines developed as well. I like when a romance series doesn’t just focus on the main characters of that romance and barely show how the previous relationships are developing. I loved the chemistry between Howdy and Cassie. It’s fun when the characters aren’t initially interested in each other. It’s more fun than when the attraction is instant. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written romance with lots of drama.

Cupcakes: 

Posted by juliette in Book Review and tagged with , , , , , ,
23Jun
0

My new Youtube project

Hey, everyone!

I’m starting a new project on youtube that will be book and reading related. This is my first video and I talk about “that” book again. I hope you will all give me suggestions and feel free to subscribe!

 

An Avid Reader’s Thoughts on 50 Shades of Grey and an Introduction

Posted by juliette in youtube and tagged with ,
22Jun
0

Out of the Ashes

by: Lori Dillon

Pages: 376

Published: March 2012 by Amari Press

ISBN: 0615585888

From Goodreads: Theirs was a love destined to be — torn apart by the wrath of Vesuvius

Pompeii, AD 79

David and Sera are soul mates meant to be together, if only their bumbling guardian angels could do their job right…

First united in Pompeii as a privileged merchant’s daughter and a slave gladiator, their young love is cut short when Vesuvius unexpectedly erupts. After several botched attempts, their angels get one final chance to bring the couple together and personally escort them back to war-torn Italy, nearly two thousand years later.

WWII, 1943

Sera is now an archeologist excavating the ruins of Pompeii. David is an American soldier masquerading as an Italian, sent to spy on the Germans camped near the ruins. With the help of their earth-bound angels, they soon find each other again as they excavate the ruins.

But will deception, the horrors of war, and the forgotten tragedy of their past lives, prevent them from unearthing the love of a lifetime?

 

I thought this story was incredibly cute. I loved the idea that this couple was one that was meant to be together, but needed many tries to actually get it right. The guardian angels were amazing characters and I loved their devotion to their job and Hershel and Marsha’s interactions were some of my favorite parts of this story. The love story was incredible. The chemistry between the characters was one I could really feel and I loved that there were times where it was like they almost remembered that they had loved each other previously. Their love story was one that really seemed impossible for most of the book. These were two people that you would never think belonged together considering the circumstances they were in and the way they felt about each other the first time they met… or at least the first time they met the last time. 🙂 Both of the main characters were very deep and felt real. Neither one of them was so perfect that it felt like they could do no wrong. They both had a lot to deal with and made mistakes, but that’s the kind of romance I love. I want to be able to understand them and not feel like they’re beyond perfect. This was a fantastic story. Fans of historical romance should definitely pick this up. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Cupcakes:

Buy this from Amazon here: Out of the Ashes

Posted by juliette in Book Review and tagged with , , , , ,
15Jun
1

Stealing Breath

by: Joanne Brothwell

Pages: 258

Published: March 8th 2012 by Crescent Moon Press

ISBN: 1937254313

From Goodreads: Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent… creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn’t even know she had. Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning?

Turning to a healer, Sarah is shocked to learn her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child-an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others. But her indigo aura also makes her an easy target for those who wish to consume her powerful essence.

Soon, Sarah is falling deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart and trust that he is the man he says he is. But she can’t ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, leading her on a course that will force her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

 

This book was fascinating. I loved the descriptions! Most of the time I find myself skimming when there’s a couple paragraphs of description, but these were so beautifully written that I found myself absorbed into the eeriness of the world in this book. There were a few things about this world that I wish I knew more about. I wish I had a better understanding of what it means for Sarah to be an Indigo Child and I wish I had more background on some of the other characters in the book. But overall, this was a wonderful and interesting story. I read it in about 2 days and I found myself thinking about the characters and their world when I wasn’t reading. It’s very rare that a world will stick with me like that, but this one definitely did that. I really enjoyed the love story and thought that it was a unique way for two characters to get together. It isn’t a normal kind of relationship and I found that to be very refreshing. I hope that the next novel will bring even more information about the creatures and powers that exist in this world. I can’t wait to read it. I have a hard time believing this is a debut novel for this author. It is extremely well-written. I would recommend this novel to any fantasy lover out there. 🙂 (Can I also just say that I LOVE this cover!)

Cupcakes:

Buy this from Amazon here: Stealing Breath

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05Jun
0

Shattered Tomorrows

by: C.L. Kraemer

Published: August 4th, 2011

ASIN: B005G5KTKK

From Amazon: “Lucy Daniels has a secret–a deeply guarded secret.

Her life was going along just fine until she accompanied her best friend, Cassie, to her attorney’s suite on top of the Equitable Building in downtown Salem, Oregon.

Once inside the lawyer’s office, the world turned upside down and Lucy was forced to face a demon from her past. Thirty years ago, life had been different. Lucy had discovered Prince Charming and was headed to her happily ever after.

That’s when the devil intervened and because of her brush with the devil, innocent people died.”

Wow. This kind of blew me away a little bit. It’s very short, I got through it in one sitting, but it’s also very emotionally intense. This book tells one of those stories that makes you look at the people around you in a little bit of a different way. I thought about all of the people I’ve met that I’ve found to be a little weird and then realized that I don’t even know what people are capable of. This is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I was able to figure out how the story was going to end, but it didn’t keep me from being completely involved in and absorbed in the story. I really loved this. I felt like everything was so realistic and believable that it was something that was truly terrifying to read. Like I said though, I found it completely absorbing and well-written. If anyone is looking for a story that’s going to keep you on the edge of your seat, this is definitely one you should take a look at. It won’t take long to read, but it will definitely rattle you. I’m scared to say anything about what the plot entails because it is such a intense story that I don’t want to give any details away. Just trust me when I say that this is worth the read.

Cupcakes:

Buy this from Amazon here: Shattered Tomorrows

Posted by juliette in Book Review and tagged with , , , , ,
03Jun
0

What She Doesn’t Know

by: Lina Gardiner

Pages: 181

Published: January 29th 2012 by Lina Gardiner

ASIN: B0073H9G9Y

From Goodreads: Raven Gale can’t put the past behind her. A year ago, her husband tried to kill her in a car accident and killed himself instead. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough; she finds out someone is pretending to be him on an isolated island in the Bay of Fundy. What if it’s really her husband? What if he’s still alive? She’d been in hospital when the funeral was held. For the first time in her life, she finds the strength to track down the imposter to find out what’s going on.

Now stranded on an island with no way back to the mainland, she’s in the worst trouble she could ever imagine. The imposter claims to want to help her and keep her safe from the other visitors on the island, a group of men who want her dead. And she has no idea why. She quickly learns everyone wants the same thing her husband wanted. Her family’s secrets. Secrets that she doesn’t know, or can’t remember.

 

I really enjoyed this novel. It was quick and suspenseful. I did find Raven to be a little annoying at times, especially in the beginning. I just thought she seemed to be too eager to leave when she came all that way and really had no idea what was happening. Beyond that though, I found this book to be one that was very quick to read considering the kind of story it is. Sometimes I have trouble with going quickly through romantic suspense, but I had no trouble at all with that in this novel. I loved the love story in this novel. I don’t want to give very much away, but I’m a sucker for the kind of love stories that already have a history before the characters really consider getting together. I loved how rich the backstories were for these characters and it added a lot of depth to an already complex story. This is exactly the kind of mystery I get caught up in because there’s something about it that reminds me of all of the adventures I wanted to go on as a kid… all of the mysteries I wanted to solve. I think this is the perfect book for anyone looking to escape their lives for a little bit and go on an adventure. 🙂

Cupcakes:

 

Buy this from Amazon here: What She Doesn’t Know (Romantic Suspense)

Posted by juliette in Book Review and tagged with , , , ,